WCHS junior and top-ranked 113-pounder Cam Phetxoumphone (facing) looks to break free from Ankeny Centennial’s Lucas Bruhl at Saturday’s Don Miller Invite in Fort Dodge. Messenger photo/Britt Kudla

FORT DOGE — In some ways, Cam Phetxoumphone is starting over and it’s going to take him more than a few matches to slide into his comfort level.

Still, he’s pretty dang good even when uncomfortable.

Webster City’s 2020 state champion always knew what to expect when he competed at 106 pounds. The differences at 113 may appear subtle, but he’s here to tell you they’re not.

“The body types are so much different,” Phetxoumphone, a junior, said. “Guys are definitely a lot bigger than me too.”

Up at his new weight class on Saturday, top-ranked (Class 2A) Phetxoumphone still managed to stand on the top of the podium at the Don Miller Invite, as he ran his win streak to 48 consecutive matches with three victories, highlighted by a hard-fought 5-4 decision in TB-1 over eighth-ranked (3A) Isaac Bruhl of Ankeny Centennial in the finals.

Bruhl, the son of 1988 Fort Dodge state champion Brad Bruhl who was down from 120 where he competed earlier this season, pushed Phetxoumphone for eight minutes. The two were tied at 4 at the end of regulation and following the one-minute sudden victory period. Phetxoumphone was able to ride out Bruhl in the first 30-second tiebreak and then scored the winning point on an escape when he selected the bottom position for the second 30-second scramble.

“I’m really happy with how I did mentally, but not so much physically,” Phetxoumphone said. “I’m not to the point I want to be at yet, but I love those long, hard-fought matches. It tests the waters of where I need to be and want to be, and after the match I thanked him for pushing me and getting me to that level.”

Phetxoumphone was one of nine WCHS place winners and the Lynx tallied 1291⁄2 points to finish seventh among the 13 competing teams. Fort Dodge claimed a tournament-high five individual crowns to secure the team title with 233 points. West Des Moines Dowling (167) and Centennial (166) were a distant second and third, respectively.

Seventh-ranked CJ Hisler (195) won two of three matches and took third. Jaxon Cherry (182) was also a semifinalist and placed fourth. Ninth-ranked Carson Doolittle (106), Brayden Henely (120), ninth-ranked Chase Rattenborg (132), Evan Estlund (152) and Trey Shannon (220) all suffered quarterfinal setbacks, but rebounded on the backside of the bracket to place fifth. Reece Sadler (126) was sixth.

Doolittle, Rattenborg and Hisler all came out on the wrong end of ranked battles in the quarters. Doolittle gave up a late takedown in a 4-3 loss to No. 5 (3A) Dru Ayala of Fort Dodge, Rattenborg dropped a 5-3 decision in sudden victory to No. 9 (1A) Jack Ramaker of Lake Mills, and Hisler was handed an 8-1 setback by No. 8 (3A) Carson Hagan of Dowling. But the three WCHS grapplers rebounded with a combined five consecutive wins — three falls and two technical falls.

Henely won his final two bouts decisively, including a pin against CJ Muir of Humboldt in the fifth-place match. Estlund snuck out a 2-1 win over Humboldt’s Gaige Allen, and Shannon decked back-to-back foes, including Fort Dodge’s Alex Read in 1:42 in his final match.

Sadler won two matches by fall.

WCHS went 23-20 on the mat at the tournament and only six of the victories went the full six minutes.

The Lynx will close out the pre-holiday portion of their schedule on Tuesday with a dual meet against Ballard in Huxley.

Don Miller Invite

Saturday at Fort Dodge

Team Standings

1. Fort Dodge 233; 2. WDM Dowling 167; 3. Ankeny Centennial 166; 4. Lake Mills 141; 5. Emmetsburg 140; 6. Humboldt 139; 7. Webster City 1291⁄2; 8. Mason City 75; 9. Spirit Lake Park 60; 10. Unattached 57; 11. Sioux City East 49; 12. Unattached 2 33; 13. West Fork 0.

Webster City Results

106 — Carson Doolittle 3-1, 5th. 113 — Cam Phetxoumphone 3-0, 1st. 120 — Brayden Henely 3-1, 5th. 126 — Reece Sadler 2-2, 6th. 132 — Chase Rattenborg 2-1, 5th. 138 — Austin Mason 1-2, DNP. 145 — Jordan Vankham 2-2, DNP. 152 — Evan Estlund 2-1, 5th. 160 — Cole Bingham 0-2, DNP. 170 — Skyler Scott 0-2, DNP. 182 — Jaxon Cherry 1-2, 4th. 195 — CJ Hisler 2-1, 3rd. 220 — Trey Shannon 2-1, 5th. 285 — Landon Griffin 0-2, DNP.